Zoya Anja

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

I'm still working my way through the Zoya Smoke Collection, today with Anja.  While I was at it I removed that fake tip I've been wearing, which meant losing more length than I care to, but it's nice to have even nails with no repairs again.  After taking care of that I put on Anja, which Zoya accurately describes as "smoky palatinate purple cream."  It's really nice to apply and one coat was almost good enough, so two made it perfect.  I finished it off with top coat, let it dry for a bit, then took a picture.  You'll see Anja darkens a bit as it dries.

Zoya Anja Nail Polish, Two Coats

It's another very nice, updated, very Fall appropriate shade.  That's the news of the day, so until next time, love and nail polish to you!

Sephora by OPI Rock His World

Good morning, Dear Reader!

This morning I changed my polish to Sephora by OPI Rock His World, a deep red vampy creme.  I'd planned to add on to Orly Frolic, but I used my nails to pry something yesterday and chipped the polish on a couple of them when I did it.  I don't think it was the polish - the only two nails with any chips or wear were the two I pretty much pried chips off of, so please don't let that put you off to Frolic.

I chose Rock His World because I have something early in the day tomorrow for which I want my nails to look nice, and while I have no reason to downplay them I also didn't want to go over the top, so a standard shade seemed like a good choice.  In the bottle, Rock His World looks like a kind of dark brick red, but once dry on the nail it's darker and less brown than in the bottle.  It applied really, really well (as the picture shows - there was no cleanup after application), but it did require three coats to completely even it out.  That's not unexpected - I associate shades like this with being kind of blotchy unless care is taken to keep them even.  This is Rock His World in sunlight after drying with a coat of Nubar Diamont.

Sephora by OPI Rock His World Nail Polish, Three Coats

Although nothing unique or unusual, I like this color quite a bit.  I was fine with the bottle color, but I'm far more enthusiastic about Rock His World after it's had a chance to dry on the nail.  Given how it applied, whenever I get around to weeding out duplicate colors, I'll be keeping Rock His World.  It's just a really good version of a solid basic color, and you can't go wrong with that.

That's Sephora by OPI Rock His World and just about all there is to tell you about today, so until next time, love and nail polish to you!

EZ Flow The It List

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

I've been neglecting you because I've been neglecting my nails, I'm sorry.  I just wasn't up for dealing with another long removal and redoing this fake tip until I absolutely had to, and today I had to.  The old mani was nine days grown out and had a chip near a cuticle because I decided to tidy up my cuticles while taking a scalding hot bath a few days ago, and a bit of the gel came off when I did, so they weren't really looking too good.  Early this morning I got a call to set up a second interview for a position I really (really, really, really) want, and it's tomorrow morning, so the time had come to redo my nails.

The removal of the old mani was long again.  I did some more hunting for tips online and saw people say that the remover works better than acetone, so I used the remover that came packaged with it, but it was still pretty bad.  Since the Nubar removal was the easiest, what I did this time was use Nubar Gelicure products for nail prep, base, and sealer, and just the EZ Flow color gel in the middle.  This is my third time time using EZ Flow color gel, and I find that it shrinks in application quite a bit - both times before were with the whole EZ Flow system, so it doesn't seem like product incompatibility would be the problem here.  I worked around the shrinkage as well as I could, and the whole application, including one sculpted tip, was finished in under forty-five minutes (that's excluding the removal of the old one).

I went over a few options I had for what color to use this week (pretty easy since I don't have a ton of choices), and I found one I'm content with.  I considered a nice French, but vetoed it for this particular interview because it's a little on the girly side - the job's an IT team lead role, and girly just doesn't cut it.  I considered going with just clear since my nails are white enough to do that now, but I'm never comfortable with that and it would be distracting to me, and that thought led me to just wear something I'd be comfortable and confident in, which was a darker shimmery red from EZ Flow called The It List.  I know it's a bit bold, but I'll still be very understated overall - my clothes are the dressy IT choice of a charcoal skirt and a black sweater.

EZ Flow The It List Soak Off Color Gel

Looks like I got some towel lint on there after I washed my hands when I finished, so we'll all have to pretend we don't see that.  Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out - it's familiar, not especially attention-grabbing, and so I'll be at ease wearing it.  The last thing I want to be thinking about for even a moment during the second interview for a dream job is my nails, and that'll be easy with this.

So that's the update for now, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!

Even More Halloween Nails

Happy Halloween, Dear Reader!

Well, I didn't get as many Halloween manicures done as I wanted to this year, but I have today's and another to show you today.  The one from last week was done using the Color Club Cast a Spell set of Halloween minis along with some Halloween Art Club rhinestones for Halloween, both of which Color Club sent to me.

The mini set has a black, orange, holo, and dark purple shimmer (the same purple as last year, I think).  The really cool thing it has is some fun decals.  I was just playing around with it and did an orange manicure with a black accent nail, then applied the decals to the orange nails and a line of orange rhinestones to the accent nail.  This is what I came up with.

Halloween Nails Using Color Club Cast a Spell Mini Set

For today, I did a simple manicure, but it's the scariest one for me.  I'll even tell you the little story of why it's the scariest (if you don't care, feel free to skip to the paragraph after the story).  It's spider-related, so if they care you skip it.

Six or seven years ago, I lived in new house on the edge of town, in a neighborhood that was being developed in what used to be corn fields.  Now, I've always been terrified of spiders, and when the construction guys would dig a new lot out of this corn field, the spiders and bugs were everywhere.  So gross and scary... After a few months of panicking at the sight of a spider, I decided I'd be all Zen and not kill them anymore, just ignore them and go about my business in order to get over my fear of them.  Good plan, right?  I soon saw two spider webs in the corner of the bedroom a few feet from my side of the bed, and for a few days was all pleased with myself for ignoring them.  Pleased, that is, until I woke up one morning to zillions of tiny spider dots all over two walls of the room and squished all over the bed.  The two spiders had mated and the eggs had hatched overnight.  I have never again felt compelled to peacefully coexist with an arachnid, and am more freaked out than ever about spiders.

Back to the manicure!  In honor of my scary spider story, I decided to do a spider in a web on my left ring nail.  For the base color, I decided on Chanel Rouge Noir - it's a good dried blood color, and sufficiently Halloween-y on long nails.  For the web and spider, I used stamping plate BM13, white for the web and black for the spider, both Konad Special Polish.  To make my spider even scarier, I added a red dot (Zoya Lisa) to its back to make it a Black Widow.

Black Widow Nails on Chanel Rouge Noir

Black Widow Nails on Chanel Rouge Noir, Closer View

I really like this manicure because it's not overtly a novelty, the accent nail is more like a little surprise if someone looks closely.  And I couldn't handle more than one spider on my nails, lest they become friends and make zillions of tiny spider dots.

So, that's the update on Halloween manicures and your scary Halloween story to start out the day.  I hope you have a great day today, and until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Some Limited Edition Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicures

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Yesterday I swatched a few of the new limited edition Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polishes, and I have pictures of them for you today.  The sun wasn't the best I've ever had for pictures, but good enough to get by.  I swatched three of the shimmers before my patience for swatching wore thin.

I only got the colors from this collection that I really like so I don't have all the names in front of me, but of those I got, I can't make sense of the names or see how they're related to one another.  They're pretty bad.  But truthfully, if the worst thing about a polish is its name, I can live with that.

These all applied really well, now that I'm used to the wacky brush they have, and the colors are strong.  First up is Perfect Match (which immediately makes me ask, "To what?"), a great red shimmer.  It's on the dark side of real red and has a really glowy shimmer - I'm thinking it might be the perfect pedicure red.  This is two coats of Perfect Match (completely dry).

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Perfect Match Nail Polish, Two Coats

The one with the worst name has received a good bit of hype, Sequin Scandal (a scandal related to one sequin).  It reminds me a lot of the old Revlon Blacker Lacquer Talk Dirty.  Here's two coats of Sequin Scandal, which I think I like better in the bottle than on my nails.  It's smooth, it's the small flaky bits that make it look lumpy.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Sequin Scandal Nail Polish, Two Coats

Back to one I like: Problem Child (not an inherently bad name, I just don't see how it's related to the other color names).  This one's a deep plum with flaky shimmer bits.  It looks deep plum indoors, not black, and I like it.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Problem Child Nail Polish, Two Coats

That's a good start to what this display offers.  Although I got most of them, I did leave behind a few cremes that just weren't sufficiently noteworthy to buy.  Now I've worn two and swatched two more, and I like them quite a bit.  A happy surprise about Starry, Starry Flight was that it was easy to remove - I think the glitter's fine enough to make it completely not a hassle to take off, which also bodes well for the red glitter.

That's the update for today, Dear Reader.  I'll show you the rest of my picks from this display as the week wears on.  Untl then, love and nail polish to you!  

Color Club Untamed Luxury Indulgence Collection

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

This morning I had a chance to swatch the other half of the Color Club Untamed Luxury colors, the Indulgence Collection, that I'd promised you a while back.  The colors are tame, but modern and quite nice nonetheless.  Like the others, the polishes applied well and were easy to control, and all but one of the seven were two coaters, with the seventh requiring three coats.  The dry time for these is good.

I took the pictures in very early morning sunlight, so it's not the most even light I've ever had, but it gives you a good look at the colors and their finish.

Pretty in Platinum is a pale shade that's a cross between beige and grey, with a subtle shimmer.  This is two coats.

Color Club Pretty in Platinum Nail Polish, Two Coats

Wild Orchid is neither wild nor orchid, but a good color.  It's a light greige with a sparkly shimmer, and I used two coats.

Color Club Wild Orchid Nail Polish, Two Coats

Soft as Cashmere is a muted brown beige creme, and this is the one that needed three coats to be totally opaque and even.  Having said that, I'll let you assume the polishes that come after it are all two coaters.

Color Club Soft as Cashmere Nail Polish, Three Coats

Positively Posh is a muted brown creme.

Color Club Positively Posh Nail Polish, Two Coats

Jewel of a Girl is a deep reddish brown shimmer.

Color Club Jewel of a Girl Nail Polish, Two Coats

Nothing but Truffle is a deep brown shimmer.

Color Club Nothing but Truffle Nail Polish, Two Coats

Ready to Royal is a deep plum creme that looks almost black on the nail.  Not quite black, but almost.

Color Club Ready to Royal Nail Polish, Two Coats

That's all of Color Club's Indulgence Collection, which wraps up Untamed Luxury.  As you can see, all seven shades are pretty tame, very work-safe colors.  At the same time, I find them to be very modern, pretty representative of what we're seeing a lot of this year.  I like them.

That's it for today, Dear Reader.  Tomorrow I'll resume with SpaRitual's Imagine Collection, and until then, love and nail polish to you!  

SpaRitual Endless Possibilities

Good morning, Dear Reader!

I'm still working my way through the SpaRitual Imagine collection, and today I have Endless Possibilities for you.  It's a super dark plum creme, so dark that it's kind of hard to tell it's not black even in the bottle.  I used three coats of it - was was almost sufficient, but the color wasn't totally even at two.  It applied well and dried in average time, but I'm a little dissapointed in this one just because it's so dark it looks black in normal light.

Here, under bright artificial light, it looks a little lighter than it does in normal light.  Even at that, the picture's pretty close to black.

SpaRitual Endless Possibilities Nail Polish, Three Coats

I don't hate Endless Possibilities because I really don't have a ton of blackened cremes, but I was a little let down that it's not more interesting.  The others in this collection are very strong, which makes this one seem even weaker in comparison.

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Diamond Cosmetics Fall 2010

Good afternoon, Dear Reader!

I received samples of Diamond Cosmetics' Fall 2010 collection, and I have swatches of them for you today.  The collection is four cremes and a jelly, and most were two coaters.  The application was typical of Diamond Cosmetics, so nothing new to tell you about there, and the brush is the usual as well.

Classic Pink is a very pale pink creme, and I used three coats.

Diamond Cosmetics Classic Pink Nail Polish, Three Coats

Sunset in Sedona is a really good terra cotta creme, and it was good in two coats.

Diamond Cosmetics Sunset in Sedona Nail Polish, Two Coats

Private School Girl is a red creme, also good in two coats.

Diamond Cosmetics Private School Girl Nail Polish, Two Coats

It's Nothing to Wine About is a wine jelly.  I used two coats, but I think it would have been better with a third.

Diamond Cosmetics It's Nothing to Wine About Nail Polish, Two Coats

Under the Willow Tree is a blackened blue green creme, very pretty and not black in indoor light.  I used two coats.

Diamond Cosmetics Under the Willow Tree Nail Polish, Two Coats

The release date for this collection is tomorrow, and it will be available on Diamond Cosmetics' site.

That's all for today, Dear Redaer.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

William Tell Me About OPI

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today I tried my first creme from OPI Swiss, William Tell Me About OPI.  It's a dark vampy creme, and was good in two coats.

OPI William Tell Me About OPI Nail Polish, Two Coats

That's really all I have for you at this early hour, Dear Reader.  Until tomorrow, love and nail polish to you!  

Chanel Rouge Noir & Orange Fizz

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today I have two nail polishes to show you that have little in common other than that they're both Chanel cremes, Rouge Noir and Orange Fizz.  I've showed you Rouge Noir before, bur it's a favorite so here it is again.

I wore Rouge Noir earlier this week because I just needed a break from all the brights and pastels of the season, and it's the anti-bright.  This is two coats in strong sunlight.

Chanel Rouge Noir Nail Polish, Two Coats in the Sun

Ain't she a beaut?  I know there are many cousins and dupes to Rouge Noir, but non I've found have quite the same finish.

Yesterday afternoon I switched to the seasonally appropriate Orange Fizz, a pale ornage that's not too pale or pastel at all.  This is two coats in moderate sun.

Chanel Orange Fizz Nail Polish, Two Coats in the Sun

This one's another keeper for me.  I think I just really love Chanel nail polish - if it's a color I like, I'm bound to love Chanel's version of it.

That's all for this morning, Dear Reader.  Until next time, love and nail polish to you!  

Chanel Miami Peach & Feu de Russie

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today I have two polishes with nothing in common other than that they're both Chanels and both special.

Feu de Russie is special because it was a limited edition. I wore it as an end-of-winter color, a sparkly blackened kind of red. This is two coats with top coat.

Chanel Feu de Russie Nail Polish, Two Coats

Miami Peach is even more special because it was a gift from France. It's a perfect start-of-spring color, a corally peach with a strong gold shimmer. This is three coats.

Chanel Miami Peach Nail Polish, Three Coats

That's all for now, Dear Reader. Until next time, love and nail polish to you!

Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today I have some swatches of the new (or rebottled, I'm not sure which) Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro nail polishes. There were five that looked cool to me, so those are what I have for you.

They were pretty cheap at $4 each, and all five colors required three coats to be opaque and even. The brush is moppy a la OPI India Collection, but manageable to work with.

One thing I noticed in saving the pictures is that some of them have names that really, really don't correspond to the colors. Obviously, the name isn't that huge a deal, but it struck me as odd. I'll show you the ones with the mismatched names first.

Steel Grey is neither grey nor anything like steel. It's a taupe creme.

Steel Grey Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish, three coats

Purple Rain really isn't that purple. It's more of a vampy creme.

Purple Rain Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish, three coats

The other three have names that really describe the color. Marine Blue is a sea blue shimmer.

Marine Blue Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish, three coats

Violet Metal is a cool purple with a purple blue flash.

Violet Metal Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish, three coats

Finally, Midnight Blue is a deep blue shimmer.

Midnight Blue Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail Polish, three coats

So those are my picks of the Rimmels. I did a manicure with Midnight Blue and will likely add some Konad to it in a bit.

That's what I have for you today, Dear Reader. Until next time, love and nail polish to you!

Urban Decay Apocalyptic Nail Polish Kit

Good morning, Dear Reader!

Today I have the return of Urban Decay nail polish with their Apocalyptic Nail Polish Kit. Such a cheery sentiment for the holidays! It's a set of seven itty bitty minis, 0.17 oz each. Mine are halfway gone from swatching them... Not really halfway, but I put a dent in them. I left out the with-the-bottle pictures today because the bottles are comically small, so I didn't bother with them.

These were all two coaters for me with the exception of the white, which required three (typical of whites). Here's Urban Decay's Apocalyptic Kit...

Urban Decay Apocalyptic: White Widow Nail Polish, Three Coats

Urban Decay Apocalyptic: Gunmetal Nail Polish, Two Coats

Urban Decay Apocalyptic: Apocalypse Nail Polish, Two Coats

Urban Decay Apocalyptic: Grunge Nail Polish, Two Coats

Urban Decay Apocalyptic: Meltdown Nail Polish, Two Coats

Urban Decay Apocalyptic: Big Bang Nail Polish, Two Coats

Urban Decay Apocalyptic: Fbomb Nail Polish, Two Coats

There you have it. I didn't go into great length about the colors since it's a kit - you get one, you get 'em all... It's kind of a nice little novelty item though, the kit.

That's all for now, Dear Reader. Until next time, love and nail polish to you!